• My Favourite Daytime Hydrating Serum •

I don't know about you, but I am ridiculously picky with my skincare. As soon as my skincare routine is perfect, I'll stick to it for ages because I'm pretty scared of my skin going back to it's acne, oily self. 

And in terms of serums, it's even harder for me to try new ones, as I've had so many bad experiences with them in the past! Luckily, I've now found a brand that I can trust as I've tried a few serums from Oz Naturals (review of the Vitamin C Serum here) and they've done wonders for my skin. Natural products with beautiful ingredients which are preparing my skin for summer and (eek!) less make up - perfect.

For the past 3 weeks I've been through stress, illness and shitty weather, as have most people in the UK, so my skin has been acting up a bit and is much dryer than usual. I've been using the Oz Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum* every day to see if it would sort my face out, and it really has done. I didn't seen an improvement straight away like I do with some of my other skincare, but after a few weeks my skin was so much more plump, soft and healthy looking - not resembling how I felt inside at all! It sits really well under make up (as does the other Oz Naturals serum that I use) and keeps my skin moisturised all day. I really like this and I love how hygienic it is - you use the little dropper to dispense the product into your hands and then smooth it on your face after cleansing and toning - no dipping dirty hands in a pot (which I hate!!)

Have you tried any products from Oz Naturals?

What do you think?

Daniela xo

I just wanted to quickly add that obviously I was sent this product, but wasn't told to write a positive review of it. I'm usually sceptical of rave reviews like this, where I know that the blogger has been sent the product, but it was my choice to post this and I'm not being paid to write about it.

• NEW Revlon Ultra HD Lipsticks •

Revlon kill it with lip products and I always turn straight to them when I'm on a lipstick binge in Boots.

So I was surprised to find a new range when I was browsing the aisles as I hadn't heard much about the Revlon Ultra HD Lipsticks. I picked up Rose, an everyday light pink, and Hydrangea, a brighter, more corally pink. The colours look really beautiful and I swear I don't have anything like them in my collection........*angel emoji* 

It therefore pains me to say that these lipsticks just do not cut the mustard for me. They are slippy, hard to apply, accentuate the fine lines and dryness in my lips, and wear away after an hour or so. Unfortunately they aren't as pigmented as some of my other (drugstore and high end) lip products and application really does take a long time - I found myself applying three or four coats just for these photos, and even then my lipstick looks messy, uneven and, to be blunt, bloody rubbish. Now I'm a lipstick fanatic - I wear lipstick every single day, topping up whenever I need to, carrying around a make up bag full of lipsticks should I fancy a change in the day - so I have tried a great many different types, formulas and finishes of lipsticks... and I can conclude that these ones just aren't for me.

As you can see in the photos, they don't look great (side note - sorry for the crusty nose, I'm pretty ill at the moment). And as much as I don't like to be a negative Nelly, I have to be honest and say that even as I am wearing this right now as I type, they feel sticky when I rub my lips together. The lipstick also seems to bunch up around the outside of my lips so that part of my lip is darker then the rest; maybe I just need some lipliner, but for some supposedly quick and easy everyday shades, I feel like I shouldn't have to faff with lipliner when I'm in a rush. I'm just glad I didn't buy more colours as they looked so beautiful on the stand, in their sleek packaging and their pretty promo photo!

If you try these out, I'd love to hear your experiences with them.

It could just be me and my lips... or perhaps there's a reason I haven't seen many

bloggers/vloggers rave about these?

Daniela xo

• The Serum My Skin's Been Obsessed With... •

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll know that my skin is combination, with bouts of extreme oiliness and crazy dryness. 

So when a product such as this comes along, which works with whatever my skin feels like doing at the time, I really think it deserves some praise. The Oz Naturals Vitamin C Serum* is a lightweight, easy to work with, sits-under-make-up-perfectly skin miracle. Packed full of hyaluronic acid and amino, it promises a youthful glow and even anti-aging, as well as a smoother skin texture and even skin tone. Wow.

I've been using this serum for just over a week, morning and night, and I've already noticed such a difference in my skin. I normally have to pump it full of moisture before I even begin to think about applying my make up, but since using this serum, I've cut down on my skincare big time. I now cleanse and tone as normal and then apply a layer of this on my skin. If I'm wearing make up, I then just apply a primer and my base, and I'm done. No fussing with different moisturises in different areas of my skin, just a thin layer of serum and I'm moisturised for the day.

Application is a dream, as it comes in pippet form (very hygienic) and you only need a few drops for it to blend around the whole face, so things never get messy for me. I also love the fact that the serum is organic, vegan, cruelty free, doesn't include any nasties such as alcohol, parabens or sulfates, and is safe for all skin types, which is particularly useful for me as one day I'm oily, the next day I'm dry, another I'm spotty, and on others I can be sensitive. It's made from the highest quality vitamin C, which is known for being fantastic for injecting a surge of moisture into the skin, and the product was even voted as the best vitamin C serum in Allure Magazine. If that's not enough of a recommendation, I don't know what is.

Have you tried this product?
Do you have extremely unpredictable skin like me?

You can buy it here for £15.95.

Daniela xo

• On Fridays We Wear Pink... •

I'm not really a 'pink person', so when Elite99 contacted me
 to choose an item from their range, I decided to branch 
out from my comfort zone.

I went for the Casual Long Sleeve Bow Deer Print Sweatshirt*, a gorgeous fleecy jumper which honestly is probably the most comfortable item of clothing I currently own. Worn with jeans or leggings, it's been a bit of a life-saver for those 'its-sunny-now-but-likely-to-rain-in-a-few-minutes' kinds of days. It's so soft, feels lovely on the skin and most importantly, washes well - there's nothing worse than washing a piece of clothing to find it ruined! I love the little deer on the front and the fact that she has her own actual bow, and overall I'm really impressed with the quality of this item. What astounded me the most, though, was the price - £10.99! Cheaper than other high street brands, I feel like this is a real bargain. Sometimes more affordable items of clothing can feel cheap, but this piece honestly feel so lovely and performs just as well as my other more expensive clothing. I'm in love with this and will definitely be browsing the Elite99 website to see if I can nab myself any bargains!

Have you ever ordered anything from Elite99?

Daniela xo

• The No-Nasties, Natural Deodorant That Actually Works •

I was a deodorant-whore - there, I said it. I'd flit from brand to brand, formula to texture, scent to packaging. Now that's out in the open, I have another confession to make...

I've found the one. And now, I am absolutely, truly, madly, deeply, converted to natural deodorants. You know, the kind that are free from the nasties, the chemicals, all of the crap that makes you stop sweating and bungs up your underarms (anti-perspirant). And now I can say that hand on heart, I will never go back to these shop-bought deodorants for as long as I shall live. Scouts honour.

I can't wait to share my thoughts on the La Vanila Healthy Deodorant, but first I'll address a few issues with natural deodorants. There's a stigma attached to them and people assume that they won't work because they aren't as powerful as anti-perspirants and the types of deodorants we might be used to. There is an element of truth in that, I have to admit - natural deodorants don't act as anti-perspirants, so you will still sweat but the sweat won't smell. But that doesn't mean they're not doing their job. The whole reason I went on the hunt for a natural deodorant was because I hated the thought of my sweat glands being blocked up due to chemicals that I apply every day. It's natural for our skin to breathe and sweat, so the idea of slathering on layers upon layers of chemicals to block sweat glands seems odd and unnatural to me. Without getting into detail, because 1. I'm not qualified/wouldn't feel comfortable posting about research I've found online and 2. I don't want to ramble on too much, I do think that we should try to reduce the amount of rubbish we put on our skin. If you think about how many products you use a day, and how many chemicals your skin absorbs, it's scary. I'll try and go eau natural where I can, if only just to make myself feel a little better!

So after hearing Tiffany rave about the La Vanila Healthy Deodorant on YouTube, I had to try them out for myself as they sounded like exactly what I was looking for. Creamy, pleasant smelling (and long-lasting), but most importantly, able to let my skin breathe. You'll see on the ingredients list that the ingredients are all natural and free of all chemicals. I've been using this deodorant for a few months after I picked it up in Canada after one too many trips to Sephora and it has worked for me every single day, whether that be a chilled day at home or a stressful day at work - it's truly amazing. I love the scents and I have the Vanilla Lavendar in the 2oz and the travel size of the Vanilla for on the go. They both smell gorgeous and I can still faintly smell them throughout the day, which is great.

Now I have skin that feels soft and smooth whilst smelling amazing - and not skin that feels tingly after shaving, due to the rubbish in them which interferes with sensitive, freshly washed skin. My conscience is clear, and I've added another healthy, natural skincare product to my collection. For me, that's priceless - and definitely worth £10.

Have you tried this deodorant?

Are there any other natural deodorants you'd recommend?

Daniela xo

• Maybelline Colossal Cat Eyes Mascara •

Mascara is my thing. For some it's blush, for others it's base, but I'm all about the lashes.

And this means that I spend most of my time in Boots looking at all of the different mascaras and on blogs looking for mascara reviews. I've tried so many different ones from high end (my favourites being Benefit They're Real and Georgio Armani Eyes to Kill) and drugstore (Max Factor Masterpiece is amazing) but never have I found one that gives me the volume and length I'm looking for as the Maybelline Colossal Cat Eyes Mascara does.

The photos speak for themselves and you can see the difference in my lashes from the before and after shots. For £7.99 you're getting very similar, if not the same, results as Benefit They're Real - both mascaras are super black, my lashes still look amazing after a day of wear and they both provide the same lengthening and volumising effect. The only difference is the wand. The Maybelline wand is curved, so you can reach all of the tiny lashes in the inner corner of your eye as well as the lower lashes, whereas the Benefit mascara has a straight wand with a bobble on the end, so you can again reach the tiny lashes, just in a different way. I would say that the Maybelline mascara is better when it's dried out a bit, so I'd open it and then use it a week or two later as the formula is better. I really love this mascara (if you hadn't guessed!) and if you're perusing the aisles of Boots or Superdrug, it's worth picking up. 

I'm thinking of doing a comparison post between Benefit They're Real and Maybelline Colossal Cat Eyes Mascara to show just how similar they are. Let me know if you'd be interested in reading that! :)

Daniela xo

• Why I'm obsessed with NUXE Reve di Miel •

Like most girls, I've tried every lip balm under the sun and thought 'yeah, that's alright', not thinking into it too much.

So the price tag of this cult favourite NUXE Reve di Miel made me think unhappy thoughts as I believed that £9.50 could be better spent on a grande Chai Tea Latte and chocolate muffin. Oh, how wrong I was.

Now I believe we all want a lip balm to do three things; moisturise the lips for at least a few hours, be easy to apply in tricky situations, and smell good. This little pot of wonder ticks these three boxes and so much more. Around Christmas time, my skin started going a bit nuts - my dry patches were dry as heck and my oily parts were producing a horrific amount of sebum it took all of my might not to carry around multiple packs of blotting paper packets. My lips decided to go for the former type so they were consistently dry, chapped and (sorry) bleeding. I have this horrible tendency to bite off the skin on my lips when they're dry (again, sorry if you're squeamish) which obviously did nothing for the health of my lips. Enter Reve di Miel. This balm, which smells of lemons and honey (amazing), really sorted out the general health of my lips and has made them flake free and perfectly prepped for lipstick. And one of the best parts about this lip balm - it's matte, so looks great under any lipsticks, glosses or liners.

Basically, if you were skeptical like I was, and you thought that you'd never in a million years spend a tenner on a lip balm, I'd take the plunge and try it out (or just wait til Christmas so someone can buy it for you - thanks mum!)

Have you tried this product?

Do you have any recommendations for which lip balms I should try next?

Daniela xo

• February 2015 Favourites •

I'm on a 'spending money on make up' ban, which has led me to using what I already have in my stash on a more regular basis, so this month's favourites were easy to pick!

NUXE Reve di Miel

Just purely, totally obsessed. It's the first thing I use when I wake up in the morning and it's the last thing I use when I go to bed at night. The lip balm is in a little glass tub and it's a very soft consistency which moisturises for hours. The scent is very fresh, slightly lemon-y with a subtle hint of honey, and it's probably the best lip balm I've ever used. It's the perfect base for a lipstick as it eradicates dryness instantly. Love. It.

Soap and Glory The Ultimelt Hot Cloth Cleanser

My skin has been crazy lately, much to my disappointment. I had a really good spell for about 9 months then it started to go tits up a month ago. It's now combination to the extreme; in the places that I'm dry, it hurts to move my face and in the places that I'm oily, not even the most industrial primer is helping to keep my make up from sliding off my face. So I'm going for more gentle skincare, and I've gone back to my trusty Ultimelt. I love everything from the formula, the clean scent, to how easy the application is. This creamy product is great for taking off my make up and just generally giving my face a good clean. I usually double cleanse with it and use a muslin cloth soaked in warm water to wipe it off. I've fallen back in love with my old favourite!

Maybelline Colossal Cat Eyes Mascara
This mascara is a dupe for Benefit They're Real, I've said it before and I'll say it again. The length and volume I get from this mascara is insane and I'm always greeted with 'wow, your eyelashes look amazing today!' whenever I wear it. I've recommended it to everyone I know and they've had the same reaction. I love the formula, which is quite dry, and the wand, which is curved so you can get all of the diddy lashes near the inner corner and all of the bottom lashes really easily. I'm obsessed with it and can't believe how affordable it is - I'm on my third tube and can see myself continuously repurchasing.

Anastasia Clear Brow Gel
Brows are my thing; I fricken love them. I don't care how late I am in the morning - if my brows aren't done, I aint leaving the house! They are, however, long and sometimes unruly, so I've been reaching for this brow gel every day this month. I have noticed that if I don't wipe off the excess gel, the brush picks up too much, but when I do use this brow gel, I notice such a difference in the shape and lasting power of my brow pencil. This gel locks everything into place, from the hairs to the filler, and I don't find myself in front of a mirror all day trying to make my hairs stay in one place!

NYX Butter Gloss Merengue and Creme Brûlée
I picked up as many of these beauties when I was in Canada earlier this year (read my haul post here!) but Merengue and Creme Brûlée stood out to me the most. I love how easy these lip glosses are; I hardly ever need a mirror to apply them and they make my lips look so full and glossy with a nice amount of colour. They smell like cupcakes (amazing), don't feel sticky and last a long time on my lips. I'll be picking more of these up as I've used the heck out of them this month and will need to restock soon.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation
If you love a light-weight, light to medium coverage foundation which leaves a satin finish, you'll like this. Best used with a primer on me, this foundation is simply stunning and I can't believe how long it took me to try it. It's quite a liquidy consistency but it provides the sort of coverage that covers up the smallest of spots and the palest of scars (on my face, anyway!) I've really been enjoying using it this month and the best part it, it's reacted well to the ridiculously dry parts and the ridiculously oil parts of my face - it doesn't accentuate either, which gets a thumbs up from me.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush
This has been a huge favourite for me this month as I usually use either the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush or my Beauty Blender, but as both were dirty one morning (and I was too lazy to wash them), I reached for the Buffing Brush when I was in a rush. It just worked magic. My foundation looked smooth, it was quick and easy to use because it's a larger brush (compare to the Expert Face Brush) and the bristles feel so smooth on my skin. I really love this brush and will be using it more often as I never knew quite how good it was!

Avon Orchid Splash and Collection Lilac Daze
The weather is telling me Winter, my brain is telling me Spring. I've been wearing these colours non-stop and it's getting me in the mood for the change of the season! They're both quite unusual shades and again, I receive compliments on my nails when I wear them. The formula for both are long-wearing and don't chip when I use a good top coat (Sally Hansen's strengthening top coat at the moment). I can't see myself painting any other colour on my nails for a while yet.

So there is my rather long, rambly list of favourites!
What have you been loving this month?
Daniela xo

• Scruples Complete Recovery Treatment Hair Masque •

Another hair post! I'm on a roll here; first brushes, now masques.

This masque! *alllll of the heart eyed emojis* Everything from the scent, to the texture, to the way it makes my hair feel - the Scruples Complete Recovery Treatment Hair Masque* is a serious beauty and I've been testing it out over the past 3 weeks to see how it works for my lacklustre, limp hair. Well, I'm in love.

I am kind of a hair masque addict as, as I mentioned in my previous post, the health of my hair is very important to me as I like to take the least amount of time possible styling it, so if it looks healthy and shiny, that's good enough for me! The first thing that I look for in a masque is the scent. A good masque will allow the scent to linger in your hair so if it smells off, it's a no-go for me. The scent of this Scruples masque is quite light and subtle, but it's sweet and a tiny bit floral, too. The scent stays in my hair after I've washed it out and I've had compliments from the other half when I've used this product (which is always nice)! Next up is texture. I cannot stand runny masks that would just slip through my fingers when I go to apply it in the shower and subsequently slip through my hair. This masque is thick and stays put in my hair whilst I wash the rest of my body, which makes things a whole lot easier. Whist on the topic of application, I wash my hair with shampoo, rinse it out then apply this masque, leaving it for 10 minutes to do its magic before washing it out. Finally, the way it makes my hair feel is obviously the most important. I'm left with silky, manageable and soft hair when I've used this product and I can definitely tell when I haven't used it. On average, I wash my hair twice a week and I use this once a week, and I always seem to regret not using it on the times that I don't! Basically - this is one of the best hair masques I've used and I'll definitely be purchasing a new tub when I've run out, which will take me a while as I use one or two big scoops of the masque on my medium/long hair.

Have you tried this masque?

Would you recommend any other hair masques? I'm always willing to try new ones!

Daniela xo

• The Wet Brush or The Tangle Teezer? •

These two brushes are two of the most reviewed, hyped up 

brushes in the blogging/vlogging world, so I put 

them both to the comparison test.

I picked up my Tangle Teezer in my last year of uni when I was just getting into reading blogs and watching YouTube, which was around 3 years ago. It was literally everywhere - everyone had something to say about the Tangle Teezer, and everyone seemed to love it. I ordered mine from feelunique and decided to give it a go, as I was stuck in a hairbrush rut and couldn't find one that wouldn't rip my hair out and cause lots of breakage. As soon as it came, I had to check that I'd ordered the right thing, as the bristles were really hard and tugged at my hair - so it was basically no different from my £3 Boots travel brush. I persisted, and I'm ashamed to say I persisted with it for 3 years, even though I think it damaged my hair. The reason being, I felt like all brushes caused my hair damage, so I might as well have kept using my £11 'high end' brush, since so many people adored it. I found new ways to use it - I used loads of hair oils and conditioners at the tips of my hair and started using the Tangle Teezer from the ends up to my roots, and that seemed to be OK, but it still wasn't great and I decided to go on a real hunt for a proper brush. That's when Lily Pebbles came along.

Lily mentioned in a video that she loved the Wet Brush, and she has quite thick, unmanageable hair so for her to say that something worked for her, I had to try it for myself. My hair is a little wavy, it's  thin but I have a lot of it, it breaks very easily (whether that's my hair type or three years worth of brushing-damage, I'm not sure) and I seem to lose it around the hairline when I get stressed. I ordered mine from Cult Beauty and as soon as it came I was anxious to try it. I fricken love it. This brush glides through my hair whether it's wet, dry, straight, curly, knotted, sleek, anything. I use it in the shower to brush out my conditioner, I use it when I'm drying it with the hairdryer, I use it in the mornings when I'm styling it. The bristles are soft and bendy, so they don't pull at the hair, they just go with the hair, if that makes sense. I love the handle - there seemed to be a love/hate thing with the Tangle Teezer and the fact it didn't have a handle - but the Wet Brush is really easy to grip and use. 

So after years of breakage and aches and pains when brushing my hair, I've finally found 'the one' that makes my hair feel soft whilst making brushing something to look forward to. I can't believe it took me this long to purchase the Wet Brush and I've already recommended it to my friends. I'm not much of a hair person, I'm more about the make up side of things, but when it comes to hair health, I want to make sure I'm making the best decisions.

Have you tried either of these brushes?

What do you think of them?

Daniela xo 

• Laura Mercier Creme de Pistache Souffle •

Pistachio in anything - be that ice cream or

 bath and body products - will get my heart racing.

So when I received this beaut of a product for Christmas, I was extremely excited to try it out and see if it lived up to its hype. Oh, it does. It really does. This Laura Mercier Creme de Pistache Souffle Body Creme smells glorious, like a day at the gelataria on a hot summer's day in Italy (I'm a little obsessed with pistachio ice cream...)

Aside from the scent, this product really does pack a punch in the moisturisation department. I usually use this when I've had a bath before bed and my skin still feels so soft the next morning, as well as smelling of pistachios. This is a big deal for me as I don't like moisturisers that sink into the skin so much that they don't even feel like they've done anything. With this, you need the smallest amount of the body cream and it spreads beautifully - perfect, as the price tag makes me cringe! It doesn't feel sticky and you can put your clothes on straight away without feeling like you have a layer of lotion on your skin. The packaging is luxurious as the product comes in a heavy glass tub and the design is very minimal - love. If you're looking for something similar but for less than a quarter of the price, I'd try the Soap and Glory Smoothie Star Body Buttercream; it smells like pistachios and is a really lovely body butter, however it doesn't feel as 'whipped', doesn't smell identical to the Laura Mercier Body Souffle and you need a lot more product to feel totally moisturised, so perhaps it works out as not that much cheaper - give it a sniff, though, if you're new to the pistachio scent.

Have you tried either of these products?

Are you a fan?

Daniela xo

• Tarte Bon Voyage Eyeshadow Palette •

Feast your eyes on this glorious palette of eyeshadow goodness...

I was lucky enough to win this palette, along with the collectors travel bag and blush palette (review on this beauty here) from Stacey's giveaway, and I could not be happier with the products that I won. I'm in love with Tarte and everything I've tried, I've become a little bit obsessed with - and these eyeshadows are no different.

There are a mixture of shimmers and mattes, from light to dark, and they are all extremely pigmented. The application is beautiful, none of them are chalky, and they blend effortlessly - I know it seems as though I'm using all of the buzz words, but they really are very impressive and I would only say the things that I believe are true. I've swatched a few of my favourites above so you can see how intense they are after only one swipe; amazing, as I'm sure you'll agree. I don't brighten my photos when I'm photographing products as I want the colour to be true to real life, so the colours here are exactly how they truly appear on me. I'm planning a few 'get ready with me' posts using this palette as I'd like to show you the kinds of looks you can create - I've loved playing with this palette as you get such a variety of shades.

Short and sweet, but the photographs speak for themselves.

Have you tried any of the Tarte eyeshadows?

Daniela xo

• FOUNDATION DUPE // L'Oreal & Maybelline •

Oh I do love a good dupe, me!

L'Oreal Eau De Teint and Maybelline Dream Wonder Liquid Foundation are basically the same thing. Simple. They both have the same very watery, light, liquid consistency, both have medium/buildable coverage and both leave a matte-ish/powder finish. The only different is that the Maybelline foundation has a dropper, making it a little easier to apply onto my face, whereas you have to place your finger over the top of the L'Oreal bottle and tip it upside down to get the product - but that's no biggy, as I'm obsessed with the L'Oreal foundation (and you can read all about it in this post).

 

The foundations blend out so well and I love the fact that they cover my scars and my under eye circles. I also spot conceal with both foundations as the liquid is so pigmented that it can double up as a concealer. You can't get the Maybelline foundation in the UK (as far as I'm aware) so if you've been lusting over it, you can just grab the L'Oreal foundation as it's pretty much the exact same thing. For reference, I'm in the shade 'Warm Ivory' in the L'Oreal and 'Classic Ivory' in the Maybelline.

A quick one from me today, but I just had to share this with you. I'm planning a 'get ready with me' soon, featuring the Maybelline foundation, but if you wanted to see what the L'Oreal base looks like on, you can read this post.

I hope you enjoyed!

Let me know if you've tried either of these foundations; I absolutely love them both.

Daniela xo

• January 2015 Favourites •

I'm so excited to share this month's favourites with you; I have some oldies but goodies, and a few newbies that I'm already loving.

Vaseline - Aloe Vera

There is no better eye cream/eyelash nourisher than Vaseline. I use this on and around my eyes and eyelashes every single night and my eyes feel so moisturised the next morning. I used to be subscribed to Birchbox and would always receive eye creams, and I'd think 'meh, it's ok' but nothing was as good as Vaseline. I swear by this, and it's so cheap that I always urge everyone to try it.

MAC 'Kinda Sexy'

This was one of the first MAC lipsticks that I ever bought and it holds dear memories close to my heart (does anyone else every get that with make up and scents?!). I bought this way before the whole Kyle Jenner trend but it's now becoming a popular one to get that browny, darker nude. It's a matte lipstick, which is my favourite type of lipstick (this changes on the regular) and it goes on so creamy whilst lasting all day. It's obviously a MAC lipstick so the quality is up there, but this is definitely my favourite MAC lipstick that I own and I'll have to make a cheeky repurchase soon.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil in Lust

I'm trying to incorporate more colour into my make up so a purple pencil is the perfect way to do it for my brown eyes and pale colouring. Lust is a gorgeous deep purple shade and looks so beautiful both on top of the lid in a cat-eye fashion and smudged below the lash line.

Lady Gaga 'Fame' Eau de Parfum
Ok, don't judge me. I've gone from raving about the sexy, sophisticated Philosykos to this. But I honestly think this smells amazing and it's quite different from what I normally go for. The scent is quite sweet and fruity, and for a more affordable perfume, it lasts all day. I've been complimented on it a few times and when I mentioned that it was Lady Gaga's perfume, there were a few shocked faces!

Sephora Spoolies
I'm allllll about the brows at the moment and I'm trying to grow them out for a bushier, fuller look so they do need some taming in that area. The hairs are quite long and I've been relying on these spoolies along with clear brow gel to set them in place. I've really been loving these ones as they are the perfect shape and length, making them perfect for travel. Plus they were free - bonus.

Milani Blush in Dolce Pink
I wish wish wish we could get Milani over in the UK and I'm using this blush sparingly because it's absolutely beautiful and I will cry when it runs out! I sometimes find it hard to wear a pinky pink blush because I'm very pale with dark features, but Dolce Pink is perfect and has a very faint golden shimmer running through it, making it really wearable. It's a mix between a blush and a highlight and it's also stunning worn over other blushes. You can see a swatch of it here, and I can almost guarantee you'll swoon over it like I do!

Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer in Light
I was very late to the hype with this one as I feel like everyone has been raving about this product for a good few years, but I finally hopped on that bandwagon on a particularly stressful morning when I was late to a wedding due to my concealer exploding all over me (yep, this really happened). I'd never tried the Maybelline concealer before but from the reviews I'd read, I trusted it and ran to Boots to buy one. It really did save the day as I was more than impressed with the coverage, application and lasting power of the concealer. It's quite thin but is really pigmented, and I've found that when set with a translucent powder, it doesn't crease or budge. A definite winner that I've used nearly everyday in January.

Wet Brush
Apologies for how gross my brush looks - that is the product of using this brush too often with a shed load of dry shampoo in my hair! I used to own the Tangle Teezer (more on that in a comparison post) but this brush has completely thrown that out of the park. The bristles are so soft, my hair doesn't feel like it's being tugged or ripped out and it really does work well with both wet and dry hair. I can't recommend this brush enough and have already managed to covert a few people to it.

Game of Thrones book
I just had to include this book as a favourite because I've literally been glued to it at every chance I get. I'm a huge GoT fan and I've watched the series religiously, so when I received the book box set for Christmas I was overjoyed. The book is so beautifully written; the character descriptions are absolutely amazing and everything is so detailed, yet to easy to read. I can sit there for hours with this book in hand and endless cups of tea - I think it'll take me about 2 years to read the whole box set but the books are incredible and I urge you to try them if you're a big reader or just a fan of GoT.

What have you been enjoying this month, beauty or lifestyle-wise?
Have you tried any of my favourites?
Daniela xo

• Tarte Pin Up Girl Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush Palette // review •

This palette contains five stunning shades, ranging from cool to warm, peach to pink. In a word: swoon.

If you're a regular reader, you'll know that 2014 was the year that I delved into blush. I was always more of a bronzer kinda gal, but I definitely experimented more with blush last year and came to really love it. I went from peach to mauve, shimmery to matte and really found what worked for me. If I'd owned this palette then, I wouldn't have needed to buy any more blushes to experiment with, because there is literally all you would need in one palette in the Tarte Pin Up Girl Amazonian Clay Blush Palette. 

You can tell from the photos that it is absolutely gorgeous. Everything from the packaging to the pigmentation wowed me and the quality is fantastic, a real tribute to the Tarte brand itself. The blushes blend beautifully, are so long-wearing and I feel like the shades have been chosen really really well. Breathless, a peachy bronzey nude is perfect for everyday as it looks very natural whilst still making me look alive at 6.30am. Embraced is a shimmery mauve that is perfect for Autumn/Winter (although I'm not one to stick to times of the year and shades), but I feel like it would look lovely with pale skin. Whimsy, a bright pink with a slight sheen, is one that I didn't think would suit me but looks lovely to perk the skin up with a simple make up look. Bashful is the most gorgeous coral mixed with a highlighter, so two products in one. Irreplaceable is a pinky mauve, my favourite of the five, and probably the easiest for me to wear as it's closest to my natural blush shade. The shades are all exclusive to the palette which excites me, and when I compare them to the Tarte blush I already own in Natural Beauty, I can't see a difference in quality. I've been getting so much use from this palette and it's fun to switch up my look everyday!

Have you tried this palette?

What do you think of Tarte blushes?

A huge thank you to Expat Makeup Addict as I won this palette in her blog giveaway!

Daniela xo